The Bumbling Fool
by everlovingdeer
Summary: "Besides, you're like another sister to me." Sighing, I glanced away from him, not even able to become angry because of how oblivious he was. I had long since passed the point of anger. "Merlin, you're so incredibly clueless."
1. The Bumbling Fool

The best part of the summer holiday was getting to sleepover at your best friend's house. Although we all spent the majority of the year together, it felt as if the holidays were too long if you couldn't see your friends during it. That was the reason I found myself spending the night at the Weasley home – or one of them anyway.

Roxanne had spent last weekend in my house, visiting parts of the muggle world that she had always wanted to visit. In return, my parents had shipped me off to her home for the weekend, taking Mr and Mrs Weasley up on their offer for me to visit during the holiday.

"I'd be careful," Roxie warned as I stepped into her room, "You know what's Fred's like."

And because I did know what Fred was like, I conducted a thorough search of the extra bed that had been placed in Roxie's room before searching the entire room. The number of his father's products that had been dotted around the room were countless. Honestly – he was going into his seventh year. What was he doing picking on two, soon to be, fifth years?

"Anyway," I said once we knew for certain that the room was clear – Mrs Weasley had even conducted a magic search of the room, just to be safe. "What was the big thing that you needed to talk to me about? Your owl kind of freaked me out a little bit."

"That's because you're such a worrier," she insisted with a roll of her eyes, patting my thigh.

" _You_ were the one that wrote about what a big emergency it was," I pointed out. "You underlined the words code red three times Roxie – three times. What else was I supposed to do?"

She became hesitant, looking around the room and avoiding my eyes, "Well –"

"What is it Roxie," I prompted, watching as she began to fiddle with her pillow.

"Well – you know Alec Wood?" she trailed off again, fixing her eyes onto the pillow in her lap. She wouldn't raise her eyes to mine.

"Of course I know him – the two of you are always getting into arguments in the middle of the Gryffindor common room. Explosive arguments at that." Watching her cautiously, I saw her bite down on her bottom lip. "What about him Roxie?"

"He owled me a couple of days ago." She raised her eyes to mine, unsure of how to progress.

"And what did he say?"

Roxie looked around the room as if she was searching for something. Not finding what she had been looking for, she leaned in closer to me, lowering her voice as she spoke. "He asked me to Hogsmeade."

"I knew it," I gasped aloud, startling her. "Don't give me that look Roxie – we all knew it was going to happen eventually. Merlin, this is _huge_." Taking her hands in mine, I couldn't help but smile at seeing her so uncharacteristically nervous. "So, what did you say then?"

"Nothing."

My mouth dropped open slightly. "You're joking."

"Not exactly," she winced a little under the weight of my stare. "I just told him that I wasn't going to answer that question over owl."

"Roxie," I whined, "What the hell? But then again, this _is_ Alec Wood we're talking about – I doubt he was happy to leave the matter at that." She glanced away from me. "There's something else isn't there?"

"Why are you getting so excited about this?" she complained instead of answering my question.

"Because I ship you two," I said bluntly. "Now answer my question."

"He told me that he'd just have to wait until he could ask me face to face then," she admitted with a self-conscious sort of smile.

It would have been impossible to stop the squeal that left my throat, really it would have. That was why I didn't even attempt to. Roxie grew even more embarrassed, taking her hands out of mine.

"And what are you going to say when he asks you?"

"No, of course," a voice called from the doorway.

Roxie rolled her eyes and looked to her brother who stood smirking at her from the now open doorway. "How?" she complained, throwing her hands in the air, "We searched the room three times, Merlin, mum even searched the room. How the hell were you able to hear us?"

"Don't get your knickers in a twist, dear Roxie," Fred patronised, stepping into the room and making his way towards the bed. "It's dad's latest invention," he explained holding up a model ear, "It's an improvement on the Extendable Ears. I have one part of the pair and I hid the other in here – it's undetectable by magic and can only be taken out by the castor."

"You're so annoying," Roxie complained as Fred sat cross-legged on the bed beside me. I shifted away from him slightly when our knees brushed and moved even further when he threw me his most 'charming' smile. "Why are you even bothering to listen to our conversations?"

"How else was I going to find out what little slug is hitting on my little sister?" He looked between the two of us, "Or my adoptive little sister for that matter?" I rolled my eyes at the words, making his smile grow bigger. "You're not allowed to date."

"And why the hell not?" Roxie complained instantly.

"Because you're too young."

"You're acting as if _you_ didn't date in your fifth year," I interrupted, throwing him a look. "Merlin, James even threw a party of celebrate you getting your first kiss."

"Is that jealousy I hear," he teased, leaning closer to me, "Don't worry – no one else is quite as pretty as you."

I pushed him away from me. Did he realise how contradictory his words were? To him, I was another younger sister – that's what he always said anyway. But then he'd go and say something sweet, just like he did moment's ago. Were all boys so bloody thick?

"I'm not 11 anymore, Fred," Roxie threw a glare at her brother, one that seemed to phase everyone else except him.

"That doesn't matter." He rose from the bed, looking down at the two of us, "Neither of you are allowed to date this year."

"You're not even my brother." My protests fell on deaf ears.

"Why did I end up with the most annoying brother in the world?" Roxie complained as Fred shut the door behind him.

I suddenly realised something, "Roxie, Fred didn't take the other half of the Extendable Ear with him on his way out – the one that only he can remove."

* * *

For all of his warning words, neither Roxanne nor I had anticipated that Fred would actually interfere between Alec and Roxie. Or even between me and any other boy, for that matter. Never had we expected for him to involve any of Roxie's other cousins either. Merlin, it was like we were constantly under watch, especially when there were members of their family in every house. Sometimes I hated being considered an adopted Weasley

Roxie had already owled her mother about how much of a smother Fred was being and had told me that a howler was on its way. In my opinion, the howler couldn't be here soon enough. I was _so_ close to hexing Fred, especially when he seemed to find something wrong in everything situation I found myself in.

I couldn't even sit in the common room, talking to some of my friends. Because, that's all that I had been doing.

Once the school day had come to an end, we had all settled down into the Gryffindor common room to bide our time until it was dinner time. I had shrugged out of my robe, sitting down on the sofa as I tried to get comfortable. Crossing one leg over the other, I absentmindedly tapped my foot, listening to Hugo complain about something one of his teacher's had said. The younger boy had spotted his cousin the moment that he had walked into the common room and he had made his way straight towards Roxie to complain. Because, out of his numerous cousins, she was the most likely to listen to him.

"What are you talking about?" Fred asked as he walked into the common room with James, eyes instantly settling on the small group of us. Sitting down on the sofa beside me, he draped an arm over the back of the sofa. James settled down across from us and I eyed his hand but said nothing. He raised an eyebrow, "Well?"

"Hugo's complaining about his Charms professor," I explained, looking back to the younger boy as I admitted under my breath, "Although I'm not quite sure why he's complaining."

Fred nodded, looking back to his younger cousin and engaging him in conversation. Whatever advice Fred gave to the younger boy, it seemed to calm him down and the conversation soon shifted. Roxie and I shared a look – the two dense Weasley boys had no idea that we wanted to talk in private. It seemed like James had some idea as he kept trying to get Fred's attention and trying to convince him to leave. Fred, either playing dumb or being stubborn, remained where he was.

Alec had somehow managed to get Roxie alone when none of her male relatives had been around and he had asked her out. We _had_ been planning to talk about their upcoming secret date when Hugo had approached us. It had all gone downhill from there. We'd just have to settle for talking in our dorm. I was still trying to dissuade Roxie from her latest idea – she had suggested that if Alec brought one of his friends with him and I went with Roxie then _technically_ it wouldn't be a date, or even a double date for that matter.

I thought it was a stupid idea.

Fred cleared his throat roughly from beside me, making me look at him in mild surprise. But he wasn't looking at me. Instead, he was frowning in Hugo's direction and the glare he was aiming at his younger cousin was frightening. Hugo, seeing the glower and seeming to know the reason behind it, grew flustered and cleared his own throat, turning his head to the side momentarily.

However, the frown on Fred's face didn't lessen. Not until he had shrugged out of his robe and draped it over me, covering my legs and school skirt.

"What –"

"Keep your eyes to yourself," Fred interrupted me, giving Hugo a look. "I mean it, Hugo."

My eyebrows rose slightly in shock as I looked over at Hugo who was becoming rather embarrassed at Fred's loud words. I frowned back at Fred, who seemed shocked at my reaction – it wasn't as if Hugo meant any harm. Hugo, poor boy that he was, was only in his third year, struggling through the clusterfuck that was puberty. Fred should have been more understanding – we all knew what a rollercoaster puberty could be.

"What's wrong with you?" I nudged him in the side, "He didn't mean any harm."

"He was gawking at you," he protested, lowering his voice when I glared at him. "You can't seriously be alright with that?"

"So, you're telling me that you didn't do that when you were in third year?" He couldn't answer me. "Exactly, Fred, leave him alone and take your bloody robe back."

Removing the robe, I dumped them unceremoniously on his lap, only for Fred to drape them over me again. Giving him a look, I removed the robe again – holding them out for him to take. And he did take them. Only to cover my legs again.

"Why are you being so annoying?" I demanded, "It's not like I'm the only girl at Hogwarts wearing a bloody skirt – it's part of the uniform! What's next? Are you going to walk around covering every girl in Hogwarts?"

"Only the ones I think of as a sister." My expression clouded over. There it was again; like a sister. Was he the only one that couldn't see that he used that expression as a way to hide the way he felt? Merlin, even _I_ had seen through it. But now wasn't the time to talk about how thick-headed he was.

"Well how about you cover your actual sister?" I threw back, standing up and letting the robes fall off of me. Picking them up, I threw them back at his lap.

"Why would Hugo be staring at his cousin's legs?" he protested and I rolled my eyes, gathering my own robes and bag.

"Who said I was talking about Hugo? Take one look around the common room and tell me how many eyes you see on her legs. Merlin knows you Gryffindor boys seem to be morally depraved."

"Don't lump me with them," he called out after me as I started to walk away and head back to my dorm.

"I don't lump you with them Fred," I said quietly, turning to meet his eyes for a short moment, "You're in your own category of being so bloody blind to the obvious."

* * *

Despite all of my attempts to persuade Roxie to change her plan, I hadn't been able to do so. All of my multiple attempts had proven to be fruitless and I was eventually forced to be one of the two third wheels that accompanied Alec and Roxie on their first date. Merlin, even Alec had thought that the plan was rubbish and stated rather proudly a real man would have marched up to her brother and told him that they were dating. However, once Roxie told him that a real man would also have been killed by her cousins and brother, he had agreed to go along with it.

That was the reason that I was trailing behind Alec and Roxie with one of Alec's roommates, Elliot beside me. Poor Elliot clearly felt as awkward as I did and had even started our 'group date' with the disclaimer that he didn't fancy me. He had only been too pleased when I returned the sentiment. Honestly, the things we did in the name of friendship.

As the couple in front of us approached Madam Puddifoot's, I shared a look with Elliot who winced at even the sight of the shop. Not knowing of the internal horror I felt at the prospect of entering the shop, Roxie's face lit up as she beamed at Alec who, upon seeing her reaction, puffed his chest out a little.

"He's not really planning on taking her into that shop, is he?" I asked the boy by my side who only nodding solemnly.

With a sigh, we followed the couple who got a table for the four of us. The two boys left the table to order and I glared at the traitor sitting across from me.

"Roxanne Weasley," I hissed, leaning across the table slightly, "I can't believe you did this to me. Do you have any idea how awkward this is for me? All because you didn't want to talk to your brother about butting his nose out of your love life."

"I'm sorry," she apologised, her eyes drifting past my shoulder to look out of the window. Her eyes grew wide as she ducked her head, "Merlin's beard – you have _got_ to be kidding me."

"What's the matter Roxanne?" Alec asked as both he and Elliot returned after ordering. They settled down at the table and Roxie raised her eyes to mine, trying to silently communicate with me. Except I wasn't quite sure what it was that she was trying to tell me.

"What are you doing here?" Fred asked, marching through the teashop and heading straight for the table we were sitting at.

Alec's eyes widened as he stared at the intimidating figure of Roxanne's brother. Roxanne shared a brief look with me before promptly trying to disappear into her chair. I dropped my head into my hands with a muttered curse and poor Elliot, the innocent bystander in all of this was feeling the full force of Fred's glare.

One of the staff decided that it would be the most opportune moment to place our drinks on the table.

"Fred," James called out from behind his cousin, taking a hold of his arm, "You're causing a scene, mate."

"Didn't I ask you something?" Fred asked, clenching his jaw slightly as he shook his arm out of James' hold.

James rolled his eyes, looking to the sky as he asked Merlin to give him strength. I returned the sentiment wholeheartedly with sigh.

Roxanne finally raised her eyes to her brothers, "Fred, I –"

"I'm not talking to you."

It was time for my eyes to widen. Meeting Roxie's eyes, I gave her a silent distress call before raising my eyes to her brother. He was _not_ impressed as he glared down at me, casting a look between Elliot and me. I was so tempted to pat Elliot on the knee as a silent way of telling him not to be scared, but something told me that doing so would be about as final as signing his death certificate.

"You were talking to me?" I asked quietly, scolding myself for sounding so guilty. What had I done wrong anyway? It wasn't like I was on a date. And even if I _was,_ what did that have to do to my 'brother' figure? Fred Weasley could take his bloody guilt trip and shove it up his arse.

"Clearly I was." He took a hold of my wrist, tugging on it until I rose to my feet.

It seemed like he was determined to make me leave the shop. Apologising quietly to Elliot, I followed Fred out of the shop, only because I didn't want to cause even more of a scene. As the door shut behind us, I heard the sound of James apologising to the other customers of the shop for the disturbance. Didn't Fred realise how irrational his before was, when it made _James Potter,_ of all people, act responsible? When we were away from the shop I forced my feet to a stop. Realising that I wasn't cooperating, Fred also came to a stop, looking back at me.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I demanded, using my free hand to remove his hold on my wrist. "You caused such a huge, unnecessary scene."

"So what if I did?" He raised an eyebrow, "I thought I told you not to date this year?"

Releasing a sharp breath through my nose, I clenched my jaw. "Fred Weasley, you are taking this older brother business _much_ too far. You are not my brother."

"I know that but whether you like it or not, I think of you like my sister."

"But you don't," I exclaimed, "You're just too stubborn to see it. Your real sister is in there – on a date and rather than interfere with her date you dragged _me_ out of there. When I, mind you, wasn't even on a date. You do things like that and expect me to believe that you see me as another little sister?"

"What are you talking about?" He remained so very oblivious and I was about ready to scream.

But I didn't. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes momentarily before opening them. When I was certain I was calm, I raised my eyes to his and met his gaze head on.

"You listen to me, Fred Weasley, you might be too blind to see it or even too oblivious but that doesn't mean other people are. It doesn't mean that _I_ am. The next time you go to sprout any of that older brother bullshit in my direction, pause for just a second and think about the real reason you're doing all of this."

My words were lost on him.

* * *

Fred didn't have the opportunity to sprout any more of his bullshit – but only because I went out of my way to avoid him. Simply because being around him would make me so very angry because how could someone be so bloody oblivious to how they felt? How was it possible to be so completely thick?

I had successfully avoided him for the remainder of the term and once the holiday came around, I would just have to avoid him for the holiday. It had even all been planned out – I had organised with Roxie for her to stay longer in my house, rather than me having to go round to hers after. I had been so certain that my plan would work and I wouldn't need to see him until I had fully calmed down but I hadn't accounted for the fact that Fred Weasley very rarely did what you wanted him to do.

He had accompanied his father when he came to drop Roxie off to mine. The smile had slipped from my face, for a fraction of a second only, when I noticed the second male figure standing outside of my front door. But I stepped aside, letting all of them into the house. Mr Weasley started talking to dad about something as Roxie came to my side, linking her arm through mine.

Before Fred could say anything, I started to lead Roxie up the stairs. I planned to keep my back to Fred until we reached my room. That had been the plan. But I couldn't squash the urge to turn back and look at him. Glancing over my shoulder for the slightest of moments, I found him already looking in my direction from the entry way. He only glanced away when his father patted him on the shoulder before gesturing with his head in the direction of the stairs. Turning back around, I continued to lead Roxie to my room.

When we were inside, Roxie started to settle in. She sat cross-legged on my bed, waiting for me to join her. Realising that she had something she wanted to say, I joined her quickly.

"What's going on?" she asked me, taking me by surprise.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" I furrowed my eyebrows, "I thought you wanted to say something to me."

"I've just been meaning to ask you something," she explained, "And I wanted to do it face to face so you wouldn't be able to lie to me."

"You're kind of worrying me, Roxie. What did you want to ask me, anyway?"

"Why are you avoiding my brother?" She was straight to the point. "Besides, knowing him, he's probably done something and there's a legitimate reason for your avoidance, but he's been in the most horrendous mood since you started avoiding him. He keeps whining like a bloody first year and bugging me to find out for him."

"Roxie –"

"So if you're not ready to tell me the real reason, why don't you tell me the reason that I can give him?"

I stared down at the duvet beneath, wondering what to tell her.

Roxie, I'm crushing on your brother and hard at that and I think he likes me back? But he keeps passing off his feelings as being brotherly and it makes me want to strangle him? Then again, he might not actually like me back and I might be deluding myself into thinking of the impossible?

I shook my head, deciding against telling her any of that.

A knock on the door saved me from having to answer Roxie. She let out a sigh, knowing that I wasn't going to say anything now.

"Come in," I called out, wishing I could take the words back when, moments later, Fred popped his head into the room.

"I was wondering if we could talk," his voice trailed off meaningfully as he stepped inside. Roxie, taking the hint, rose to her feet and left the room, shutting the door behind her.

Fred hovered awkwardly beside the door and I lowered my eyes, playing with the duvet underneath me again. He cleared his throat and if the sound was meant to get me to look at him, then it failed. Crossing the room, Fred sat down on the edge of my bed and made sure to keep some distance between us.

"What did you want to talk about?" I asked without looking up.

"I don't quite understand you," he admitted and I looked up then, meeting the eyes that were waiting for mine. "After that time in Hogsmeade you suddenly started to avoid me and I thought you were throwing one of those tantrums that Roxie sometimes does, so I left you alone for a couple of days. But then a couple of days became a couple of weeks and the term ended. You showed no signs of relenting."

"And?"

"And I understand that I must have embarrassed you that time at Hogsmeade," he said earnestly and I couldn't help but shake my head. He still didn't get it. "But even if I embarrassed you –"

"That's not it," I cut in, before he could go on to paint an entirely wrong scenario, "Yes, you did embarrass me but that's not the reason I avoided you."

"Then what is?" He grew exasperated, eyebrows rising, "Because I can't think of any other reason."

"Can't you? _Really_?" He shook his head and I sighed; maybe I should try another tactic? "Fred, would you ever date a fifth year?"

Tensing at my words, he looked away from me. Fiddling with his fingers, he glanced around my room. "If I liked her then I guess I would."

"But I thought that fifth year was too early to start dating?"

"And it is," he insisted, looking slightly confused with the turn that the conversation had taken, as though he had expected me to say something else.

"You just said you'd date a fifth year," I pointed out, "You're being very contradictory, Fred. Or is fifth year just too early for me to start dating. Roxie's dating and you didn't say anything about that once her and Alec had actually started to date."

"That's only because it was too late to stop them by then," he insisted, "Besides, you're like another sister to me."

Sighing, I glanced away from him, not even able to become angry because of how oblivious he was. I had long since passed the point of anger. "Merlin, you're so incredibly clueless."

"What do you mean?" He was obviously confused and reached out to put a hand on top of mine to get my attention. It was unnecessary; didn't he realise that he had my attention already? "You keep saying things like that and I don't know what you mean."

"But you do. Your eyes tell me what you understand what it is that I'm insinuating." As if reading a cue from a script, he turned his eyes away from mine. "You just don't _want_ to understand and that's so hurtful Fred."

"I never meant –"

I took my hand out from beneath his, bringing it into my side so he couldn't try to hold it again. "Your dad's probably waiting – you should go."

He took the hint and rose to his feet without making a sound. Opening the door, he ignored Roxie who had clearly been standing outside of the door, listening to our conversation. Once her brother had left the room, she entered my room and instantly took me into her arms.

"He's so bloody clueless," she said eventually. Even Roxie had figured it out.

* * *

The first day back in school, I had been casually walking down to the great hall for breakfast when I was abducted on my way. Fred had suddenly appeared in my way and before I could say a word or make a sound, he had grabbed me and begun to pull me after him. I rolled my eyes and followed him silently because, after having known him for five years, I'd come to realise that going along with him always saved much more time. Had he become so annoyed by my avoidance of him that he'd resorted to kidnapping me in broad daylight?

"You've got to be kidding me," I muttered, giving him a look as he stood in the entrance of one of the unused classrooms. "Merlin this is cliché."

Fred, uncharacteristically, remained silent and I gave him a concerned look, slipping past him on my way into the classroom. He shut the door behind him, casting a locking charm on it as I sat down on top of one of the tables.

"You must want to have a pretty serious conversation," I said looking down at my swinging legs when it became obvious that he wasn't planning to say anything. "You're worrying me a little Fred, you never used to lock the door when you abducted me."

"It's just a precautionary measure," he assured me, "It's just to make sure you don't run out before I finish saying all that I want to say."

Furrowing my eyebrows, I hopped off the table. "You're beginning to worry me a little."

"It's nothing," he insisted, his words contrasting strongly with his body language. He began to pace in front of the door slightly, rubbing the nape of his neck.

"Fred?" Walking towards him, I went to touch his arm. He cleared his throat before I made contact. My frown deepened. "What's going on?"

"Over Christmas I had some sense beaten into me," he explained as though I was supposed to understand the hidden meaning behind his words. I didn't."

"Sense beaten into you?" I repeated slowly, "What do you mean?"

"James had enough and decided to interfere." His words were confusing me even more. Looking down into my face, he realised this and let out a slight sigh, "About you being like another sister to me."

"Oh." Even I could hear from my tone of voice that I'd closed myself off from him. I went to step away from him when Fred caught my hand, keeping me beside him.

"You're not like a little sister to me." He stared down at me as if that was supposed to be news to me.

Searching his eyes, I swallowed nervously, "I know."

He simply nodded, already knowing it. "You've never been like a little sister to me and I spent ages trying to force myself to think of you in that way."

"Why?" I could finally ask him the question that had been bugging me since I had realised how he felt. "That's one thing I could never understand."

"Merlin," he said as if it was a curse, running a hand through his hair. "You're the same age as my sister. You're my little sister's best friend to make matters worse. Godric, I felt like such a creep when I started having a crush on you – I was bloody 16 and you were only 14. It felt so freaking immoral that I made you into my little sister to explain why I felt so protective over you. Do you understand now, why I whenever you would hint at it, that I played dumb? You must have felt like I was a right idiot when I knew what you were talking about the whole time."

I couldn't help but search his eyes again, admitting quietly, "I still don't quite understand."

"Do you think I understand any of this either?" he threw back, stepping away from me with a sigh.

Silence descended between us as I watched him with creased brows, trying to comprehend what was going on. This couldn't continue this way.

"Right." I broke the silence, crossing my arms defensively when Fred turned his eyes to me. "We can't keep doing this – make up your mind Fred Weasley because I'd like to sort this out, once and for all."

"Make up my mind?" he repeated, meeting my eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Am I or am I not like a little sister to you? It's the last time I'm going to ask you that question."

He didn't even think, shaking his head instantly. "You're not – I shouldn't be thinking the things I think about you if you were like a little sister to me."

How could he say something like that with a straight face, I complained internally, as I felt my face heat up. I cleared my throat, "So I'm not a younger sister." Licking my lip, I felt my eyes widen as I saw his eyes trace the movement. He really wasn't hiding anything anymore. "What am I then?"

"My sister's best friend." The hope that had started to bloom died instantly and I nodded. "And … my girlfriend."

My eyes rose to his quickly and I gave him a dirty look as his lips curved into a knowing smile. "You wish, Weasley."

His smile dimmed this time, eyes growing alarmed. He had assumed that me being his girlfriend was guaranteed. "What do you mean?"

"I mean I'm not going to be your girlfriend." Stepping around him, I unlocked the door with a simple wave of my wand. "Do you know how long I had to suffer because of your lack of knowledge regarding your own emotions? It is only fair that you suffer in the same way that I did."

"Is it now?" The smile was back, playing around the corner of his lips.

"It is," I agreed, stepping out of the room. "But don't worry I won't make you wait too long."

The last thing I saw on my out was the large grin on his face. His gleeful, relieved laughter echoed around the empty classroom, spilling out into the corridor and I couldn't help but smile at the sound.

Fucking finally.


	2. Epilogue

_9 YEARS LATER_

"Babe," the word was whispered lovingly into my ear, hands slipping around my waist as I levitated plates out of my mother-in-law's cupboard in order to set the table for the sheer number of people that would be joining us today.

"Would you stop that," I hissed, slapping Fred's arms off me, throwing him a disapproving glare over my shoulder.

"But I missed you," he protested, falling silent at the look I gave him. Sticking his bottom lip out slightly, he whined, "I've been away on a business trip for a few weeks."

"And I missed you too." I rolled my eyes when he muttered 'doesn't seem like it' under his breath. "I have Fred, but right now I have things I need to do and frankly you're being a massive nuisance."

Once I had levitated all the plates onto the nearby table, I did a quick mental count and realised that we were still short. Transfiguring some plates, I levitated the entire pile and charmed them to follow me as I walked into the kitchen.

"What could possibly be more important than me?" Fred asked, following after me.

"My father-in-law's 53rd birthday party?" Walking into the kitchen, I made my way through the group of people who were bustling around the room – because it took a small army to cook enough food for the entire family. Grandma Weasley was still the central figure, running a tight ship and smiling at me as I passed her to reach the kitchen sink.

"But babe –"

"Fred," my tone became sharp as I magicked the dishes to start washing themselves. Looking at my husband, I narrowed my eyes at him, "We've got all the time in the world to catch up later, just let me do what I need to do for now and besides, you need to do the job that _you've_ been assigned to do – go and help keep the kids."

"Maybe I could –"

"The twins have missed you," Grandma Weasley agreed, patting her grandson on his cheek as she ushered him out, "Fabian and Gideon have been waiting for you to go and see them. You can chase after your wife later."

Realising that he was fighting a losing battle, Fred ducked out of the kitchen and from the kitchen window I could see him head into the garden. The twins, at their sight of their father, stopped their playfighting with their youngest cousin – Louis' youngest son, and ran straight towards their father. Chuckling slightly, Fred ducked down to take Fabian and Gideon in each arm as he rose to his feet. The twins peppered his face with kisses.

"Never thought I'd see the day when Fred became so whipped," a voice remarked from behind me.

"Oh please," Mrs Potter hit her son on the shoulder as she passed him. "You act like you're not as bad."

James who was in charge of prepping the seemingly endless pile of potatoes, said nothing in return and continued to peel them. After all, what could he say when his mother had spoken the truth. As the dishes continued to wash themselves, I stepped in to help him. But Grandma Weasley took me aside before I could be of much help.

"Where's your mother-in-law disappeared off to?" she asked quietly.

"She's gone to pick up the cake." I glanced at the clock, "She should be back soon."

"She had better be," she said worriedly, "George's brothers took him to watch that quidditch match to buy us some time and it's bound to be finished soon. She needs to get back before he does."

And she did. My mother-in-law returned in the nick of time, appearing in the kitchen with the cake box in her hand. She then proceeded to place all 53 candles onto the cake, claiming it was a tradition and James, receiving word from his dad that they were all on their way back, ushered all the children into the front room.

The room was packed, but no one complained. All eyes were focused on the front door, waiting for it to open and when it did there was an almighty cheer of 'Surprise!'. My poor father-in-law jumped slightly in surprise, flushing to the tip of his ear as his brothers started to laugh at him. Pushing her way through the crowd, my mother-in-law held the cake out towards him.

"Make a wish," she said with a smile.

My father-in-law paused, closing his eyes momentarily as he made his wish. Opening his eyes, he proceeded to blow out each of the candles.

"I'm surprised you have enough strength left in you to blow all those candles out, old man," Fred teased as he approached his father and took him in a hug.

"I still have more strength than you do, little boy," his father responded, pulling away from him son to give his wife a kiss on the cheek.

Grandma Weasley clapped her hands, demanding everyone's attention and each of her great-grandkids looked at her in anticipation. They all knew what she was going to say. "Shall we eat?"

They scrambled to their feet, rushing towards the tables that had already been set out and the number of seats briefly reminded me of the lay out of the great hall. The adults hung around the table, helping to serve the kids and I tutted, wiping some of the sauce away from Gideon's face.

He grinned up at me, "Sorry mum."

"You say that but we both know you'll start making a mess again," I responded, rubbing his hair and he returned to his food. Turning to Fabian, I sighed and took his hand to wipe it clean with a napkin, "How many times am I going to have to tell you to use a fork, young man?"

Fabian gave me a grin that was identical to his brother's. They both had their father's smile. "Sorry mum."

"What am I going to do with you boys," I muttered as I spotted Fred heading into the kitchen to refill one of the dishes that had quickly become empty.

Asking Roxie to keep an eye on the twins for a moment, I slipped away silently and followed after him. When I was certain that no one had followed me into the kitchen and that there was no one around, I closed the distance between us and wrapped my arms around him from behind. Fred jumped slightly, swearing under his breath as he did so.

"Merlin woman," he complained, turning his head to glance at me as I pulled away, "You almost made me drop this."

"Sorry," I apologised with a smile, watching as he set the dish down on the counter.

"What did you need?" He was still pouting about me dismissing him earlier on in the day. Merlin, the man still acted like a child and sometimes it seemed like I was raising 3 boys instead of 2.

"You're a dad now – you can't keep throwing a tantrum," I reminded him, looping my arms around his neck. "The twins will pick it up from you."

"So you keep saying," he murmured, arms coming around my waist.

Rising to my toes, I pressed a kiss to his nose. "I missed you when you were away."

"I'm so tempted to never go away on a business trip again," he nuzzled his nose against mine. "Anything more than 3 days feels too long and the twins probably drive you mental."

"It's fine," I reassured him, pushing away from him as I heard footsteps approach the kitchen. He frowned and I patted his cheek, "Later – when everyone's gone home."

Later came soon after as bedtimes rapidly approached and one by one, the families bid goodbye to my father-in-law. It was long past the twin's bedtimes but that had already experienced their sugar crash and had promptly fallen asleep on the sofa, curled up with Roxie's daughter sleeping beside them. We had stayed behind to help with the last of the cleaning up and once we were finished, my mother-in-law was ushering us away and telling us to put the kids to bed before the night grew any later.

"So dad," Fred began as he gathered the twins into his arms. They didn't stir and instead snuggled further into his shoulders, "What did you wish for?"

"They say you're not supposed to tell people what you wish for," I reminded him, picking up the twin's coats and shoes which had somehow disappeared under the sofa.

"Well, Alec and I promise to make it happen." Fred assured him. "Everyone knows her prefers us to you and Roxie."

And Alec, looked briefly in the direction of our father-in-law as he picked up his daughter, "Yeah, dad, we'll make it happen."

My father-in-law looked straight at me, "More grandkids." One of Gideon's shoes fell from my hand as he turned his eyes to Roxie, "From both of my kids."

Roxie pretended not to hear her father's words as she approached me, picking Gideon's shoes up for me. Leaning in close, she spoke quietly, "We should have silenced dad before he spoke," she looked cautiously in her husband's direction, "The look that both Alec and Fred currently have means more trouble for you and me. They both get so determined over bloody stupid things and I can guarantee that they'll start acting like randy teenagers again."


End file.
